Cutter head for corn cutting machines



O ct. 20, 1931.

l F'. w. DOUTYHITT 1,828,649

CUTTER HEAD FOR CORN CUTTING MACHINES Original Filed Nov. .25.A 1929 1929-, andentitled .Patented Oct. 2o, leal CUTTER Heenronfoonn CUTTING MACHINES v'.appii'eatiolrl inea No'verinbe'r 25, 192e; serial present e invention has for its ectto providefa highly eliicient cutterhead forgeneralus'el inconnecti'onwith various different '1 types of corn cutting machines for removing r kernels of green Acorn from theirl cobs and isv in thenature of an improyement ony or'- a lre'l finementW of the'cutter head disclosed"v and lbroadly claimed in my vpending application Ver: Serial Number 393,430,gfiled SueptembierflS,

Cutter head forv'corn cut- A tinigfrnachinesf..y

'i To the above end, generallystatedythe inf vention consists of the novel devices and `comg binations of devicesv hereinafter vdescribed anddefined` in theiclairns. 1

' Iffthe accompanym e I lustrate the invention, like vcharactersindicate like vkparts throughout the several views.

y '.Referring tothe drawings:

Fig.1 isa front elevation fthe cutter head removedfromthe corn cutting machine, some parts kshown:k in dierent positions by means yof broken lines 4and h further vshowing yin sec,-

1 tionanear of corn in "said head; v

*35 .i Fig. 2 isa rear elevation of he parts shown in Fig,;1;and m g lig.l Sis ay fragmentary'detail viewprincipally in sectionftaken on the line 8-3 of Figi..

The numeral 4 indicates.v .abody member inA the formgof Aan upright fiati plate having a tran'sverse feed passageway Vand adapted to bemounted on acorn cutting machine, not

i shown.,Axiallyfalignedwiththe axis of thel i i feedpassfageway y5., at theinner facevofthe i body? mernben41;,L 1s aniris cutter having four;

Sjpassedjy through. bossed openings fin said-k memberv leyerslvAV 'v1-he segmental cutter blades 6 are circumferentially :spaced1-lin tu- Y bular formation aboutthe axis ofthe'passage- Way@ The., PUTPQSG 0f thlS-lke .dit-Q( phragmf'is to vprevent kernels ofcorn from" which ring v sa-id' levers are f pivotally cong drawings, ancha;

, der vstrain vtoturn the shiftring 11 'in the bolts 8 'holdfthey anchor lring 18 in .saideseatf` :thoughtnecessary to'sho y feedingan earof cornfthrougha 'cutterheadL` `Neither'fis'itfthought y necessarygtofishow thel l grippers for-holding van earfof'corn aligned n, t .with the cutter head'andvpositioned to be en. ga'ged by thefeeding 'mechanism.` During Naf 409,505. -Reneweamercn a 1931,'

following thecobs as lthey .are euttherefroni "tof revent-waste.y

Y f ooperating with the cutter bladestlis e iris depth gauge4 9 automatically controlled by an ear'of corn Xl passing throughlsaidcut- 5.5

ter., f'lhis'depthfgauge` 9 comprises Vfour circumferential'ly spaced segmental sections car-` 1 Y v riedby curved `secondary arms 10'on the in-J ner armsof the levers 8.

" The levers 8 are connected for simultaneous *movement by an annular outer y.or shift ring 11 mounted in an annular channel seat 12 in the outer face of the bodyv member 4 and to j '.ca, s,

nected by shouldered ,bolts 13 which extend through circumferentially y extended vslots 14 infgaid body member and'bores inthe shift ring .ItlandlesjlV forming extensions on the outer arrns ofthe two upper levers 8 .aff v forvdl;'nneansmloy whiohsaidflever-s,may be 70 v 'i manually y e vanipulatedtio expand the cutterl blades, diaphragm 7 and vdepth gauge9.`

l Four relativelyistiiffcoiled'springs16, un;` f

direction .of the r arrow markedthereonin '75 Fig." 1, arefpro yate the levers 8 'to contract the Aoutterblades f.

6;, diaphr`agm17 and depthY .gauge 9. `One ofiV l the ends offthes'efsprings theholts 13 .andtheir otherlendsare anchored 90 16 is attachedv to to screws 17 in an annular inner or anchor ring 18 mounted' inthe channel seat 12 con. centricY Withffthe shift ring'll."y The nut-V equippedboltslhold'theshift ring 11y infthe` 'l 'i Y leliannel. seat 12 and washers en the- Pivot :B5

These springsffllGQwilhbf course, lyield and'` ,Y permit'. vabackward movement of the shift ring 11`whenthe levers are operated by" the expanding movement ofthe depth gauge 9 produced byanear ofcorn Xas thesame is fed therethrough:

v vFor ,thefpurposef of thiseease itlis Anot` f -l w the mechanism for 95- videdtof'simultaneouslyv oper. y y

he feeding Yrn'ovementof an ear of corninto ffm e Vto closethe feed passageway thedepth gauge 9 said gauge is expanded and thereby automatically positions the cut- 6 for action to cut the kernels of ter blades corn from the cob at the desired depth and also simultaneously operate the diaphragm 7 and prevent the kernels of corn from following the cob therethrough.v f n' v To limit the contracting movement of the cutter blades G thereis provided a pivoted feccentric 19 vsecured to the body member f4 by a nut-equipped bolt 2O in differentV circumferentially set positions and arrangedto4 -be engaged by the. upper right as shown in Fig. 2. The purpose the contracting movement of the cutter blades 6 is to prevent unnecessary movement-thereof when cutting the kernels from large ears of corn 1F or instance, in the early partv The anchor ring 1.8isheld against rotation Y in the `direction of the pullof the springs 1G and indifferent rotated positions Vby a latch bar 23 and a cooperating device.

This latchdevice includes a plate 22 rigidly securedto vthe anchor ring 18 and having a circum'ferentiallyextended `ratchet A :pawl 24 is Ipivoted to .the'body member l and gravity held in engagement with said ratchet bar. Thefteeth on the ratchet bar 23 and vpawl `,24 are ar.-

ra-nged to -resistthe pullingaction of the springs '16. By turning Vtheanchor ring 18 the rack bar 23 may be positioned in different adjustments in respect to the cooperating pawl'2f1 toivarythe tension of thesprings 16. v ylorturning.the anchor ring 18 to tension thesprings'l the latchplate 22.is further provided witha second ratchet bar' 25 and the ratchet a cooperating. pawl 26 fis pivotedpto the shift ring 11"'. project inthe same directionV asf'tlie4 teeth of bar 23 and in abroad sense the two ratchet bars 23 and-25 loe considered as a-sing'l'eV ratchet. The pawl26fisv normally v,f {ravityfvhelc'l in an inoperative positionnnd is'V reeto movewith the shiftV ring 11 Vduring Y the expansion.andvcontraction of Vthe'cutter blades 6. l l.

To shift the position ofthe anchor ring18 Vinthebody. member 4 to decrease the'tension ofy thesprings Q16, (the: handles 15 'are "first, moved to the right inrespect to 'F 1to opentheiris-like cutter andtherefafter the i. A.e5

rpawl v26n`1'ovedfinto4 engagen'ient with the to ,temporarily lock. the rings l1y and together yagainst theaction of the ratchet bar 25 hand lever 8, of limiting `left and close the The teeth ofthe Vratchet bar 25.

. cutters ring for varying the tension on thesprmgs..

I lock'the anchor ring 18 tothe body member V4 and the pawl 26 moved out of engagement vwiththe ratchet bar 25 to release the shift ring 11 from the anchor -ring` 18. Pressure on the handles 15 is then released to allow .the springsl which are held by the Vanchor ring 18 to turn the shift ring 11 to the left -and'thereby close the cutter. It will thus be seen that this adjustment has moved the yanchor ring 18 to the right in respect toi normal position of the'shift ring 11 and thereby iposition4 the two attachment v`points of the springs'lrwith the rings closer together and ,henceshorten said springs.

` Tol increase the tension of the springs'l-it is only necessary to move the pawl 26'into engagement with the ratchet bar 25 to lock the two rings together and then'operate the handles 15 to move the connected rings 11 to the left in respect to Fig. 1 and the ratchet .bar 23 in respect to the paw'l'24 and at which time the pawl 2llwill ridev over the ratchet teeth 23 and engage one lthereof when :the pressure on the handles 15 is released. At'the completion ofthe increasing ofthe Atension of the'springs 16 the pawl 26 is movedout of engagement with'the ratchet'bar 25 to'release the ring 11 from the ring 18 andagain lock -thering18 to the body member 4. `rhe-pressure on the rhandles 15 is then Areleased to allow the springs 16 whichare held by 'the lanchor Yring 18 to move the shift ring 11 to the cutter. ofthe shift `ring '18 in respect tothe shift ring 11 will increase the distances between the points of attachment of Vthe. springs :16 with the two rings 11 and 18 rand5the`reby increase the length of saidsprings, and hence, the tension thereof. j

The ratchetbar25' and cooperating pawl 26 also aiford convenient means by which the cutter may beheld op-en without eXtra expansion of the springsl when it is'necessaryto inspect7 repair or adjustthe cutter blades 6`, diaphragm 7, lor depthfgauge `9. .lit lwi'llbe noted from fthe above that a cutter'lhead has been provided wherein the Ycontrol ring. and springs 'associatedtherewith for shifting the cutters and for holding said in set position, and'also the anchor holdingthe cutters incontracted position, areV allin lrearof the supporting plate andfully 'Y protected froinrthe juices of the food product operated upon. In the-present embodiment ofthe invention the-levers supportingthe knives y and the depth` gages are on the front of lthe supporting plate which @makes very.

This vadj ustmen't mesme strong vand durable support therefor.

supporting plate carries all of the operating parts of the cutter and it canbe readilyV removed from the machine as a unit and re-v placed therein. This makes the cutting units readily interchangeable and replaceablein the anchor ring the machinewwhich supports Vand feeds they ears thereto.

, What I claim is:

1. A head of the class described, comprisf said spring.

Y including a normally 2. A head 'of the class described, comprising a body member', a shift ring and an ranchor ring relatively turnably ymounted on the body member, an iris-like cutter mounted on the body member, the members of said'cutter being connected to the shift ring and held thereby for common opening l and` closing movements, a spring connecting said two rings and under strain to normally hold the shift ring with the iris-like cutter contracted, anda ratchet on the anchor ring-and lay cooperating pawl onthe body member for holding the anchor ring from turning in respect to the body member, and for holding the anchorring in diiferent circumferential adjustments to vary the` tension of the springs.

3.v IThe structure defined in claim 2 further released pawl on `the shift ring for cooperation with the ratchet the outer vring movements,

for temporarily and adj ustably connecting the two rings for common turning movement in respect to the pawl on thebody member` to vary the tensionofv thespring.

4. A head of the class ing a body member, concentricinner and outer rings relatively body member, an iris-like cutter, the members of which are mounted on the body memberand connected to the outer ring and held thereby for common opening and closing and under strain to normallyholdthe outer ring withV the iris-lilrevc'utter contracted, a`

Y ratchet on the inner ring, and a cooperating pawl on the body membernormallyholding from turning 'in respect to tlie` body member and `for holding the inner Vring inl different circumferential adjustments lin respect'to the outer ring` and body member f i to tensiontlie springs.

` including@a,normally released:

Y ing said anchor Y tions with the cutting described, comprisj turnably mounted on theV a plurality of circumferentially' spaced springs connecting the two rings The structuredeiinedinnclaim-afl further second-panal etffor, temporarily and adjustablyronnec'tng the` ftwoyargings; fforvcommonng-turning "moves l on; the rmgjcooperating iwithf-,the "ratcln tot mentill'z; IlSPectt-ofthe pa;wl A`OIL theY body Incline` thetension offgthe'springsy 1.51

f vTA1(ritter headfon cornicuttngmacliines n' comprisingy va supporting? plate havingY a central' opening therethrough, .a f, series off-.levers y pivotally. attached. to ',saidp-supp'orting plate anctmovable 1in a plane `parallel with the-:face

of the,plate-,iacuttingblade oarriedv-byeach y lever, 4 arms carried byz said` levers',=1a f. depth j `each arm, :rf-control y ring mounted oni the back ,of said plate and congagefb Carried by' nectedv to each lever, an anchor ring mounted on'the back of said plate, springs connectvplate to said control plate,

and means for holding said anchor plate in said springs may be varied.

7 .y A cutter head for corn cutting machines comprising a tral opening therethrough, a series of levers pivotally attached to'said supporting plate and movable `in a plane parallel with the tace of the plate, a cutting blade carried by each lever, arms carried by said levers, a

sa different set positions whereby the'tension on supportingplate' having a ,cen-

depth gage carried by each arm,l a control e ring mounted on the back of said plate and connected to each. mounted' on the connectingv said i plate, means for in different set positions whereby the ten-y sion von said springs may Vbe varied,yandy Vmeans carried by the control plate for holding 'said control, platein different set posiblades in expanded position. x c v 8. A vcutter head for corn cutting machines comprising asupporting plate having azcentral opening therethrough, a series of levers to' said supporting plate and movable in a plane parallel with the face pivotally attached ofthe plate, a cutting blade carried by each' lever, arms carriedby said levers, a depth gage carried by each arm, a control-ring mounted on the back of said plateand connected to each'lever, y

on the back of saidplate, springs connecting f' Y" an anchor ring mounted lsaid anchor plate to said control plate, a pawl Vearriedby they supporting plate and adapted a toothed face on thebracket for to en gage holding theanchor plate in diierent set positions whereby the tension on the: springs may be varied.

comprising a supporting plate having a cenpivotally attached to said supportingp'late and movable ina plane parallel with the `face. ofthe plate, a cutting blade carri dvby each lever, arms .carried by saidlevers, ra depthl lois rst Y.

lever, an anchor ring y back of said plate, springs anchor plate to saidcontrol holding said anchor plate .109

n'ojy 9. "A cutter head4 for' corn cutting machines "125 i tral opening therethrough, a series of levers Q f Vg 4- Y memoria gage carried by each arm, a control ring mounted `on the `back of said plate `and foonneoted to Jeach lever, an anchor ring mounted on .the backo said plate,sprngsconneeting K said ranchor plateitosadfeontro'l plate, a pawl Y carried Eby the supporting plate and adapted to engagea toothed `face on the bracket for holding `the anchor plate :in different set positions 'whereby the tensionfon thesprngs y 19 may be varied, apa-W1 4carried by said-"control ring and vadapted to engage atoothed face on said bracket for l'ho'ldiI-nlg; said Acontrol ring v indifferent set positions, and the cutters in am expanded position. l PF In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

v FRANK W. DOUTHITT. 

